IoT Penetration Testing: An Overview

Overview

The global cost of cybercrime continues to grow at an alarming rate, projected to surge to nearly $23.84 trillion by 2027. As this threat landscape evolves, one of the most vulnerable and rapidly expanding attack surfaces lies in the Internet of Things (IoT).

From smart homes and connected vehicles to industrial sensors and healthcare devices, IoT systems have become deeply embedded in our everyday lives and critical infrastructure. Unfortunately, every connected device introduces potential new entry points for threat actors: making IoT security not just an IT issue, but a matter of safety, privacy, and operational continuity.

Attackers increasingly exploit IoT ecosystems to steal sensitive data, leverage devices for network infiltration, or launch ransomware and DDoS attacks that can cripple services and disrupt operations. Even a single compromised endpoint can have devastating ripple effects, from operational downtime and reputational damage to costly regulatory fines and class-action lawsuits.

In recent years, numerous high-severity IoT vulnerabilities have prompted global alerts from organizations such as the U.S. Cybersecurity organization and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), highlighting the urgent need for proactive and continuous IoT security testing.

The purpose of this guide is to help you understand what IoT Penetration Testing entails, how it differs from traditional security testing, and why it’s essential for protecting modern connected environments. You’ll also learn about Packetlabs’ IoT Penetration Testing methodology, what to expect from an engagement, and how our Continuous Pentesting empowers clients to remediate risks long-term.

This Guide Includes

• A comprehensive overview of IoT Penetration Testing

• Why IoT security is critical in today’s hyper-connected world

• The phases and activities involved in an IoT penetration test

• How IoT pentesting compares to other forms of security testing

• How IoT testing supports regulatory compliance efforts

• What to expect from a Packetlabs IoT Pentest engagement

• Next steps for organizations ready to secure their IoT ecosystem

Who Will Benefit From This Guide

This guide is designed for:

• CISOs, CTOs, and IT leaders responsible for connected infrastructure

• Product security and engineering teams managing IoT solutions

• Network and security administrators

• Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and IoT platform providers

• Compliance officers and cyber insurance coordinators seeking evidence-based assurance

What is IoT Penetration Testing?

IoT Penetration Testing is a comprehensive evaluation of the security posture of connected devices, communication protocols, and supporting infrastructure that make up an organization’s IoT ecosystem.

Unlike conventional network or web application testing, IoT pentesting involves assessing the device firmware, hardware interfaces, wireless protocols, APIs, mobile apps, and backend cloud components to identify vulnerabilities that could enable an attacker to compromise or control IoT devices.

The assessment delivers a complete picture of your IoT environment’s resilience, including:

• Identification of exploitable vulnerabilities across device layers

• Risk-based prioritization of findings

• Recommendations for hardening device firmware, applications, and networks

Why IoT Penetration Testing is Essential

The IoT landscape is vast, decentralized, and constantly changing. Millions of interconnected devices often lack adequate encryption, secure authentication, or update mechanisms. As a result, threat actors exploit these weak points to:

• Hijack devices for botnets or DDoS attacks

• Eavesdrop on or exfiltrate sensitive information

• Move laterally within enterprise networks

• Manipulate operational systems or cause safety hazards

A single weak IoT node can compromise the integrity of an entire environment. Regular IoT penetration testing ensures you’re proactively identifying and closing these security gaps before attackers do.

Benefits include:

• Protecting customer data and intellectual property

• Reducing operational downtime

• Preventing unauthorized device control or data manipulation

• Supporting ISO 27001, NIST 8259, IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act, and similar compliance frameworks

• Enhancing trust and market credibility for IoT products and services

Packetlabs IoT Penetration Testing Methodology

Each engagement is tailored to the client’s architecture, device type, and risk profile.

Packetlabs’ IoT penetration tests are designed to be comprehensive, production-safe, and 100% manually executed by certified ethical hackers.

Packetlabs' IoT Security Assessments Include:

• Device & Firmware Analysis

  • Reverse-engineering firmware to uncover hardcoded credentials, insecure configurations, and backdoors.

  • Reviewing update mechanisms and cryptographic integrity checks.

• Network & Protocol Assessment

  • Examining communication channels (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, MQTT, LoRa, etc.) for insecure transmissions or weak encryption.

  • Evaluating segmentation between IoT and IT networks.

• API & Cloud Backend Testing

  • Assessing APIs, cloud dashboards, and web interfaces for injection, authorization, and privilege escalation flaws.

• Mobile Companion Application Testing

  • Testing mobile applications that interact with IoT devices for insecure API calls or data storage vulnerabilities.

• Hardware Interface & Physical Access Testing

  • Evaluating UART, JTAG, and USB interfaces for potential extraction or firmware modification risks.

• Social Engineering & Human Element

  • Testing personnel awareness, device provisioning processes, and insider threat scenarios.

All findings are correlated to the MITRE ATT&CK for ICS/IoT framework to provide actionable, intelligence-driven remediation steps.

What Makes IoT Penetration Testing Different From Other Pentesting Types?

While traditional penetration testing focuses on servers, applications, and networks, IoT pentesting must account for the complexity of hybrid environments where hardware, firmware, and cloud systems intersect.

Key differentiators:

• Device-level focus: Assessment of physical components and firmware integrity

• Protocol diversity: Involves wireless, mesh, and proprietary communications rarely seen in standard IT networks

• Safety and reliability: Testing must be non-disruptive to ensure continuous device operation

• Embedded compliance: Addresses specific IoT standards and certification requirements

Please see the table below for a direct comparison of IoT pentesting vs. other common testing types.

Comparison: IoT Penetration Testing vs. Other Types of Penetration Testing

Regulatory & Compliance Alignment

IoT Penetration Testing supports compliance with:

• NISTIR 8259A / 8259B (IoT Device Cybersecurity Capability Core Baseline)

• IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2020 (for U.S. federal suppliers)

• ISO/IEC 27402 (IoT Security and Privacy)

• ETSI EN 303 645 (Consumer IoT Security Standard)

Regular testing demonstrates due diligence, supports procurement and cyber insurance requirements, and reduces the likelihood of costly breaches or noncompliance penalties.

Why Choose Packetlabs

Packetlabs is a trusted global leader in cybersecurity, specializing in advanced penetration testing for IoT, cloud, web, and infrastructure systems.

Why organizations choose us:

• All testers hold at least the OSCP certification, with many also earning OSWE, OSEP, and GXPN credentials.

• 100% of testing is conducted in-house, ensuring data privacy and consistency.

• Clients rate Packetlabs engagements an average of 9.5/10 in post-project satisfaction.

• We deliver transparent communication, detailed remediation guidance, and post-engagement support.

Our consultative approach goes beyond identifying vulnerabilities: we partner with you to strengthen your entire IoT security ecosystem long-term..

What Do IoT Pentesting Reports Include?

Every Packetlabs IoT Penetration Test includes:

• A detailed, prioritized report highlighting vulnerabilities, exploitation paths, and risk severity

• Executive summary for leadership and board-level communication

• Technical findings with evidence (e.g., screenshots, payload logs, and reproduction steps)

• Actionable remediation roadmap aligned to business impact

• Optional validation retesting post-remediation

Next Steps

If your organization designs, manages, or relies on IoT devices (from consumer products to smart industrial systems), now is the time to ensure your environment is secure.

Connect with our experts today to:

• Understand your IoT risk profile

• Discuss testing scope and timelines

• Begin fortifying your connected ecosystem against tomorrow’s threats